Vegas strong in the fight against breast cancer

The consequences of the October 1 atrocities in Las Vegas led to a united front that spread like wildfire throughout the city. After the shooting, the Vegas Golden Nights took the lead and enthused their fans by making the Stanley Cup finals healing wounds and making Vegas Strong. This year, the Vegas / Henderson community has an event called the Rose Regatta Festival, which was held in Lake Las Vegas in October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is my survivor story and how my dragon boat involvement continues to help me cross my breast cancer journey.

Shortly after leaving New Jersey for Nevada, I joined a team of dragon boat survivors of breast cancer, the Pink Paddlers. Having no idea what a dragon boat was, I was intrigued to lean more. I had no idea of ​​the impact that would have on my life. This has led to meeting the most remarkable and strong women, to create unique friendship links, because we are all in the same boat! We call our practices a floating support group, and they are a great place to evacuate, laugh, chat, exercise and leave it all on the water!

Each year, a festival takes place at the lake where we practice. The 10^e The annual Red Rose Festival will take place on Saturday, October 13, 2018 at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, NV and will feature a variety of dragon boat racing categories for teams of all ages and abilities.

The dragon boat race is an ancient Chinese tradition that has become one of the most dynamic water sports in the world. The dragon boats are canoes running in flat water 40 to 50 feet long, decorated with Chinese motifs and propelled by a crew of 20 paddlers.

In the late 1990s, Don McKenzie, an exercise physiologist in Canada, changed the way breast cancer patients are treated after surgery by introducing the dragon boat as a recovery strategy. Survivors benefit from exercise in many ways, but the main benefit lies in reducing lymphoedema, the painful swelling that is often a side effect after a cancer treatment.

The benefits of the Rose Regatta will benefit R.E.D. from St. Rose Dominican. Red Rose Program. means responsible early detection of breast cancer, and the program provides free clinical breast exams, mammograms, ultrasounds, surgical consultations and biopsies to women and men aged 49 and under. breast are directly related to early treatment research. This program has the potential to save lives that may not have allowed early detection. The Red Rose program is directly dependent on the volunteerism of the local community to organize the event.

Although breast cancer survival rates are directly related to the speed with which treatment is sought, early treatment is not always a guarantee. As a researcher in the pharmaceutical industry, I was already in the world of oncology when I discovered my cancer in 2008. I was fortunate enough to be a doctor. be surrounded by oncologists and advanced scientists. Compared to some other cancers that a person might have, I thought breast cancer was not that bad, since my family had grown up and early stage breast cancer had occurred. excellent treatments compared to 20 years ago. I have participated in a clinical trial to compare the best chemotherapy to treat breast cancer at an early stage.¹. The results included the identification of genetic predictors of some of the side effects of these chemotherapies (eg, paclitaxel may cause neuropathy, but why does it occur in some patients, but not all?).

As I was menopausal at the time, I continued treatment with aromatase inhibitors for seven and a half years. Last October, a lymph node under the arm swelled, so we performed a biopsy. The scans revealed that it had spread to my liver as well. I was in the low percentage of patients who were treated early, but the cancer came back and was metastatic. For me, that happened nine years later.
Shortly after receiving my metastatic diagnosis, I joined six other Vegas Strong dragon boat companions to join a team of Dallas (Dallas United Pink) survivors to participate in the CE. It was yet another experience amazing with this sport. More than 4,000 breast cancer survivors from around the world attended this festival. Each of the 129 teams represented their potential countries and all participants had the same disease. We all remained strong and went through our emotional and physical pains. It was a trip of a lifetime!

I was very lucky to have so much support from my friends and especially from my family, but the dragon boat helped me accept my diagnosis with a positive attitude. I live every day with gratitude, not like the others. I hope that people with breast cancer will consider joining similar programs that can have a significant impact on a person's mental and physical health during a difficult journey!